AWiltedRoseandAPrince:ShewasmeantforyouYukiSohma
by MickeyISrawd
Summary: Koruna Tigeama, also known as Karri, had loast her parents and forced to live with her hatred filled Grandpa. Born with the ability to remeber anything, Karri is forced to be home schooled until her Grandpa can teach no more. There, Karri meets a.. YUKIXO
1. Chapter 1

_**DISCLAMER: **__I do not own any characters of Fruits Baskets and this story is just a fan-fic! However, please enjoy and tell me of what you think!_

_A Wilted RoseandThe Prince:She was meant For you:_

* * *

_The sun burned her skin; the wind brought her waist-length blond hair around embracing her into the small little freedom she barely knew. Her footsteps echoed off the cement ground, the only sound creeping around the sleeping neighbors. _

"_Wake up girl!" Her mind thought of how she had awoken this morning by the old man, "school starts for you today." _

She rubbed the skin on her knuckles as she saw her self sitting up, bowing her head to the ancient man before her with a ruler in hand_, "Yes Grandfather." _her voice croaked from so early in the morning.

"_Futile child" The old man spat tossing a book in her lap, "'you are to read before you go off."_

"_Yes Grandfather." She sighed when he began to leave the room with the help of his cane._

Some one jumped on her but her steady feet keep them afoot. "Karri!" The girl cried jumping to her feet, "Can you believe we start school today?"

Her blue eyes fell upon the little ninth grader standing excitedly before her. A lollypop stock from the corner of her mouth, her short blond hair tied into pigtails on the side of her head with vibrant green eye shadow painted over green eyes, with matching knee-high fishnet socks; this was Karri's only friend. "The day has finally come!" The blonde's word were filled with enthusiasm that was briefly used, her lips curving into a smile reveling straight white teeth, "you have waited long for this, haven't you, little Naru?"

"Well…Duh!" Naru chuckled as the two began walking, "looks like he did another on you, Karri." her voice was serious as she cursed facing her friend, "it's even worse than the last time." her green painted fingers pointed to the band-aid on her friend's cheek, "and don't tell me you fell again, cause I won't believe it this time!" her voice was scolding, but teasing.

Karri's blue eyes fell to the ground under her feet, a frown gracing her face. This morning she felt a feeling in her stomach, a hunch that what her Grandfather was making her do was just another sort of punishment, or another one waiting to happen. She turned away from her friend, sympathy reeking off her small features. She hated when Naru got like that, it was a useless emotion that only made a bad situation worse. Karris' fast thinking mind etched the life story of her small friend and frowned, imagining it as if it was a movie before her eyes.

The freshmen had lost her family in a car accident: mother, father and older brother. She was six years old when she was turned to foster care, but luckily was adopted quickly before any other damage could be made of the situation. The family painted a picture of a sweet life mother, father and a sister of the same age. It was opposite for the young girl. Her new father was always away, he angrily sat in his office with a bottle of odd yellow liquid, her mother, a self controlled shopper that cared only for her flesh and skin. However, Naru simply shrugged her past life off with a smile; "'it could be worse,'" she would answer.

Karris parents had died, just like her friend, and was left with her two only living family members. Grandma Shelly was a kind, old women that loved her granddaughter with every ounce she had in her living soul; but her Grandfather was another story. He was cruel, hard as stone. He was a teacher at heart and forced Karri into teaching at an early age, were they learned of her remembering everything she read at the age of five.

When her grandmother grew sick with an unknown fever, her grandfather

instantly set her to work studying the cause and the cure. However, when the old women began to fade from the world she had the little girl promise,

"_Your Grandfather may say some cruel things to you in the future, dear Granddaughter," she smiled holding the hand of the small girl, "but don't let them bother you." her face began to lose color, to her already pale skin, "live life as if it was your last, be free as the wind. Love life, people and everything he who is above us has given you."_

The studying never ended though. Every day the old man would awaken the girl with a book. His thoughts of punishment was more critical than just a sit in the corner. Many times his cane had been used besides for walking; Karri flinched hearing the sound of the rubber ended wooden stick walking anywhere she went.

The two girls meeting had been strange, an odd night to be of making friends. However, in the end, it was the best thing that could have happened.

_The cool air surrounded the young, crying girl sitting on the never used jungle gym. Her green eyes filled with tears as she sat at the base of the large slide, knees brought to her chest, as her thoughts turn bitter to her sister sitting at home with presents fit for a princess. Her birthday had been today too, but both parents had forgotten. Someone tapped her shoulder, "Go away." She instructed sourly hiding her face further into her knees._

"_What's wrong little girl?"_

_She had lifted her head, eyes meeting with the girl kneeling on the ground before her. Backing away softly, she started rubbing at her eyes, trying to hide the proof of her crying. The girl was young; perhaps a year or two older than the seven-year-old self, with blond hair and icy-blue eyes, her clear face was cover with band-aids, arms painted with cuts and bruises. _

"_Wha-…what happened too you?" She could not help but question when she settle down, "'did you fall or somethin'?" _

"_Did you fall or something." the girl corrected, skipping her question, "my names Koruna Tigeama." _

"_Kor-wu-ne?" she repeated having trouble with the name._

"_Kor-u-na." The girl pronounced._

"_That's just too confusing." Naru complained, "'how 'bout I just call you Karri?'" _

"_Karri?" the girl dropped her head to the side, testing the name was it slid off her tongue "'Of course, what ever makes you happy." _

"_Noraginama Tunshuki." She smiled._

"_And you think my name is confusing?!" Karri chuckled, "' think Naru would suit you better." _

_She smiled even bigger this time, "Naru? I love it!" _

_The two giggled. Karri joined Naru at the top of the slide, looking down at the disserted playground. _

"_So, Karri." Naru hummed, "what are you doing out here?" _

"_I've been inside so long, I guess, I just had to see it." Karri explained as a dazed look glossed her eyes, "it's even better than I remember." _

"_You forgot what the out side looks like?" Naru question with disbelief, "how is that possible?" _

"_Grandfather has kept me inside studying for so long," Karri's voice began to crack, "there's little time in the day to get away." _

_Naru pulled her into a hug, "Your grandfather seems like a big meenie." _

"_And what about you, Naru?" Karri asked pulling her self uncomfortably from Naru's grasp, "why are you out here so late?" _

"_Mine and Sister Triza's birthday was today," Naru explained softly glancing away from the sad looking girl before her, "'are parents seemed to have forgotten it was mine as well.'" _

"_I am sorry," Karri sighed patting the younger girl's head, "'just think, you have a birthday." _

_Naru began to chuckle, forgetting why they both were out side, "Man you're really weird," Karri smiled softly, slightly confused, "never going outside, not having birthdays!"_

The girls began to giggle turning thoughts to brighter things. Oblivious to what their futures would hold from them and their friendship.

The school building was becoming in sight when Karri pulled her self from her thought, and turned to her friend with a forced smile. The feeling was still there. Worry. Threaten to bubble up and explode as her mind began to process what kind of trick her grandfather could be plotting to make her life even more unbearable. Naru took her hand when they began to climb the cement stairs.

_"You are to talk to no one!"_ Her grandfather's warning became her thoughts, "'_they mean _nothing_ to you.'" _

Her teeth clinched together when people began to crowd around them in the hallway. She wanted to run, flee from the never-ending stares that fallowed her and Naru and to the open jungle gym that had become her only freedom. It flipped her stomach up side down and inside out while Naru was practically doing flips to get the day started.

The two were one-year apart, meaning separate classes. She turned to ran, tired of the constant glances, but Naru pulled on her hand and smiled encouraging at her, knowing what she was thinking.

Karri's heart sunk when Naru bided her good-bye, leaving the blonde-haired person before a door. To Naru this was like a small, eight-piece puzzle you could place together in a matter of minutes; but to Karri this was like a maze her mind couldn't cut through, and it sent fear through her blood as it left her helpless.

The room was filled with people that automatically turned their gazes upon her when she entered. The seat in the back corner called to her, promising isolation and darkness to let her mind free.

"Look!" Some one called when she had sat down, "a newbie!"

Karri's head fell as people surrounded her desk, staring even more intently at her. The breath in her throat caught when they began asking questions she had never been asked before. Her head spun, her heart stopped. nothing seemed to move in her body. Their laughter filled her ears, her eyes searching for some sort of escape of this ever-staring crowd. She cursed at her self to breath, to do something besides sit; but as the circle closed even more tighter around her, her head began to spin until it hurt so bad to think, even breath and then all she could feel was darkness.

* * *

Naru trotted down the hall, her stockings catching the attention glances from many passers and she smiled to her self with that happy knowledge.

"Some one get a teacher!" Someone cried. She halted to look behind her, "a girl's passed out in here!"

Her face fell as fear began to swell in her chest.

_"I do not think I can do this, Naru." Karri whispered in the back of her mind, "'it could be a trick Grandfather is trying to pull to see if I will listen to him."_

_"Don't worry about it, Karri." She heard her self laugh patting her friends shoulder, ignoring the look of worry in the blue pools, "'you'll do fine, it's just school.'" _

_The warning bell rang telling the two it was time to separate; "'I guess I'll see you later.'"_

Naru cursed her self-running down the hall, praying that it wasn't who she thought it was.

Her feet skidded to a halt in the room; the class had assembled to the back of the room. It tore at her heart not seeing her friend anywhere else. Pushing past the people, her stomach dropped to the floor seeing Karri upon the ground; the most peaceful she had ever seen her friend, and it gripped her heart to kneel beside her.

"Come on, give her some air!" Naru growled shoeing the people to close, "no wonder why she passed out." she grumbled turning to her fallen friend, "Come one Karri, wake up."

"Oh my!" someone gasped in the crowd. A girl, with long brown hair and soft green eyes kneeled beside Naru, "What happened?"

"She seems to have passed out, Tohru." a calm voice made Naru to turn to make sure she had heard it right.

"That isn't good!" The girl named Tohru cried with her arms in the air, "we need to get the nurse in here!"

"No…!" Naru snapped pulling her gaze from the boy and grabbed Tohru's hand harshly, "the best thing to do is to let her breath." she shook her head; everything was spinning to fast for this early in the morning.

Tohru nodded her head, placing her palm on Karri's forehead, Naru watching with careful eyes. The students backed away more now as the thing became calmer, leaving more room for Karri to breath. Naru turned her green gaze upon the boy behind Tohru; he looked different, like he was royalty or something. His silver, or grey, hair fell in front of his violet colored eyes. They watched Tohru with care, saying no words, holding no emotion on the mask he called a face.

Naru frowned feeling her friend began to move under neither her hand.

* * *

Prince Yuki, or so he was called by his peers, walked calmly down the halls of the very busy school; his friend, Tohru stood next to him, with his cousin, Kyo, on her other side.

The three strolled down the hall; waving to people they knew; what ever it took for him to get to his locker and first class. Kyo ranted on how he wished he wasn't here and Tohru began giving him a speech of how he should appreciate coming to for fill his future. In the end, Tohru sighed and took the orange hair's hand and lead them into the classroom. Yuki's stomach clenched. His hated seeing them together or the closes thing they could get.

The crowd in the back of the room pulled the prince from his quiet anger.

A freshman kneeled on the ground, wearing vibrant colors that hurt his eyes. She spoke softly to someone on the ground, as if trying to wake her.

"Oh my!" Tohru gasped falling beside the freshmen, "what happened?"

He was able to look at the girl, now that his attention had been pulled away from the freshmen's clothing, and his heart stopped. Her long, blond hair folded under her head, her soft features timid from her condition. She was beautiful. No. Even more than that. His mind began tripping over it's self to place her features but when Tohru seemed to panic, he spoke, "She seems to be passed out, Tohru." he was trying to calm his friend, but ended up doing the opposite.

The freshmen seemed relaxed, as if this had happened before. She explained to Tohru that all she needed was some air, her short blond hair bouncing in their pigtails when she turned her green eyes around, reading him. Tohru squealed when the girl began to squirm.

"Come on Karri!" The freshmen whispered. So the fallen girl's name was Karri.

Her eyes slowly opened revealing the icy-blue color pools that astounded him with the mysterious from them. She sat up quickly her eyes darting from him to Tohru.

"Karri!" The freshmen spoke holding her friend in a hug, "I'm so glade you're back!"

She frowned looking up from her friend and gave the two questioning gazes. She looked like a scared deer, Yuki pondered, the large band-aid covering her cheek cutting out from her creamy completion. Something had happened to this girl, he could see it in her eyes; pain, lost, emptiness. Everything he felt. Tohru spoke softly, each word filled with such sympathy it made him want to be broken so she could fix him.

Karri glared, the icy pools turning a mix of light and dark to make another color of blue, it sent a shiver through Yuki's back from her anger.

"Naru." Karri spoke softly holding his unnerving gaze, "what are they doing here?"

"Well…" Naru tried to explain releasing her friend, "they _are_ in your class." her finger ran along the edge of the band-aid, "they don't mean to scare you, Karri. Only to help."

"But…" Karri's eyes turned a dark blue now, "_he_ will." her voice was merely a whisper as she held her self, "they don't do any good if it ends up in flames."

"Karri, hush!" Naru scolded standing them to their feet, "what ever happens here, stays here." she held her arms out, reveling the class room to her friend, "take it."

"Yuki…?" Tohru spoke softly standing at his side, "what are they talking about?"

He shook his sliver hair from his face, tucking his hands into his pants pocket, "I don't know, Tohru." he turned away from the blond girl before his thoughts turned violently emotional.

* * *

Sitting in his chair, Yuki sighed. Class had started and the freshmen girl disappeared before she could be counted as tardy and the blond sat in the back, pen in hand. She was weird; he pondered taping his pencil on the desk, even though he had no room to speak. It was her eyes he could not take his mind away. The way they were the clearest blue when they first meet his, before life came back to her intoxicated mind turning them their different shades of blue has she frowned and glared. This girl was something that his mind had never met before and now, he was interested to the point that he could think no more.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAMER: **I do not own any characters of Fruits Baskets and this story is just a fan-fic! However, please enjoy and tell me of what you think!

A Wilted RoseandThe Prince:She was meant For you:

* * *

Yuki sighed; the school day had reached an ending. Kyo growled irritably as Tohru dragged them both down the sidewalk.

"Where are we going, Tohru?" Kyo cried nearly tripping over a crack in the ground.

"I saw that new girl leaving." Tohru explained quickly over her shoulder, "she was with that freshmen girl too."

"So why are we running?" Kyo growled.

Tohru slowed down to a walk, "Cause...I wanted." she tried to explain through gasps of air, "to see if they wanted to do something." she stood to her full height with a smile, "I mean since it _is _Friday."

The group quickened their steps as they spotted two walking figures at the corner of the street. Tohru was nearly skipping when they reached the two girls from school. Kyo growled softly, staying behind.

"Hey!" Tohru called to stop them, "wait up!" she smiled when they turned around.

"You're that one girl." The freshmen spoke with a smile, a lollypop sticking from the side of her lips, "that tried to help this morning."

"Yep." Tohru giggled then bowed introducing her self.

"Tunshuki Noraginama." The freshmen smiled, "but I'm called Naru to make it easier." she pointed to the blond behind her, "that's Tigeama Koruna , but called Karri cause she's cool that way." she joked.

"Yeah." Kyo snorted, "In your dreams!"

Naru skipped his comment, "Is there a reason you're fallowing us?" she questioned carefully, keeping her glare on Kyo, "it's not every day we get fallowed." she smiled with the lollypop held between her fingers.

"That's a good questioned." Kyo grumbled under his breath, his red-brown eyes staying on Tohru's brown head.

Yuki sighed crossing his arms over his chest, "Please do ignore him." he closed his violet eyes as he spoke, "my cousin can get a little hot headed and can be very stupid."

"Shut up!" The orange haired boy growled turning his glare to Yuki.

He opened his eyes and turned to the blond hair girl standing behind Naru. She stood much taller than her freshmen friend, but her blank blue-eyes looked upon her as if she was a chain of life, a help to live.

"And who are you?" Naru noticed the boy staring at her friend, and smirked as she held the lollypop with her fingers.

" Sohma Yuki." he ran his fingers though his thick silver hair, "and the idiot over there," he closed his eyes again, as if it was painful to introduce his cousin, "is Kyo."

"You little _rat!_" Kyo growled stepping around Tohru with clenched fist, "I'll teach _you_ who the idiot is!"

Yuki sighed as his cousin charged. With a simple side step, Kyo flew past him in a flash of orange. His violet eyes grew large seeing the boy on top of the blond girl, but turned dangerously thin as his blood began to boil; an odd sensation that he had never felt before. It was blinding. Making the air hot around him, hard to breath for it hit his lungs like a punch, making his breathing hard. Tohru noticed and turned too him with a worried frown in her green eyes. He ignored her as he turned his burning violet gaze to his cousin, his fingers tingling to rip the boy off the girl, feel the adrenaline running through his veins as he pushed his cousin away, freeing the girl from his dirty grasp.

A laugh broke the eerie silence in Yuki, touched a place in his chest; like a feathers' touch to a brick wall.

The freshmen girl grasped her sides as she pointed at her fallen friend, "Karri!" her green eyes filled with tears as her blond hair fell in her eyes, "you're attracting boys to you like flies!" she then added becoming suddenly serious and placed the lolly-pop back on her tongue, "seriously."

Karri frowned, kicking Kyo off her and sat up with a fake harshness, "Hush Naru."

Yuki inhaled sharply when she stood. Her long blond hair swirled through her fingers when she brushed the satin strands from her face, her hand-brushing agents the band-aid on her cheek and winced softly as a sharp pain racked her body stiff.

Tohru turned to him with a raised eyebrow and fallowed his gaze to Karri. "When was the last time you cut your hair?" Tohru questioned reaching out and grasped a blond strand, "your hair is so pretty." she kept her green eyes on Yuki, investigating of what her friend would do.

"Why…thank…you…?" Karri stammered, embarrassed trying to hide behind Naru as she felt the boy's gazes on her; however, Tohru still held on. Keeping her still, in front of everybody.

"What happened here?"

It was hard to understand as the air around became thick, hard to breath. She just wanted to get away, to be absent from the violet gaze that was constantly watching her. "I…I fell." Karri's bright blue eyes panicked and turned to the freshmen, now a dark blue.

"Oh…" Tohru chuckled softly letting the silky, blond strands to slip from her fingers, "that was silly."

She bent her head, standing behind Naru again, "yes…of course."

Naru crossed her arms, suddenly a brick wall for Karri, "You didn't answer my question." her voice was serious, holding no droll in her green eyes, "why you fallowin' us?"

"Why are you fallowing us." Karri corrected softly, her head still down.

Tohru smiled collecting her hands in front, "Well we were wondering if you guys would like to join us." she added quickly, "since it is Friday and all."

Naru turned to Karri, "Just tell him your doing an after school thing and you'll be home late." Yuki heard the soft conversation, wonder stirring in the back of his mind.

Karri whispered back, harshly, "You should know better than that Naru." if it was possible her blue eyes turned darker, nearly black, "How am I too tell him?"

"Just call him!" Naru stated as if it was obvious.

"Your number isn't the school number!" Karri snapped back, "Stop mistaking him for a fool!"

Naru stepped back, shocked that her friend could hold that much ice on her tongue, "we could use a payphone."

Kyo growled standing next to Tohru, "Will you two stop whisperin' ?!" his reddish-brown eye glared at the two, "are you gonna to do somethin' or not?"

"Your consistent growling is becoming quiet annoying." Karri turned her dark gaze to the orange hair boy, "Your speech is very exasperating. Please, stop your self before you make your self look even more dim."

Karri surprised Yuki with her snap, but a small smile pulled at his lips when he turned his violet gaze to his cousin, who was just as surprised as everyone else.

"She means to just calm down, kitty boy." Naru smirked.

The three froze.

"What was that?" Tohru nervously twirled a strand of brown hair between her fingers.

"Kitty boy." Naru shrugged her shoulders, "is there something wrong with that?"

Yuki grumbled under his breath, "Smooth move, cat. How'd they find out about this?"

"I don't know!" Kyo growled, just as quiet, "I haven't even talked to these girls before."

"What makes you call him that?" Tohru questioned with a shaky voice.

"I don't know!" Naru chuckled, grasping her sides.

The three looked at each other, confused.

Karri's lips pulled softly into a smile, "Have you not noticed the group of cats that have surrounded us since you've arrived?"

Tohru giggled softly as a kitten crawled onto Kyo's shoulder, "I guess we didn't."


	3. Chapter 3

_**DISCLAMER: **__I do not own any characters of Fruits Baskets and this story is just a fan-fic! However, please enjoy and tell me of what you think!_

_A Wilted RoseandThe Prince:She was meant For you:_

* * *

_Karri's lips pulled back into a smile. Naru laughed loudly as she skipped next to Kyo, Tohru joining on his other side. Yuki walked next to her quiet and mysterious with his hands tucked into his pants pocket and his violet gaze held in front, watching the three before him with covetousness in his dark gaze. _

_She shared his stride, keeping just as quiet but her gaze watched the floor underneath her feet. It was nerve raking, walking with the boy that was so popular in school, she felt belittle, even more useless than what she already felt like. Why did his gaze have to be so powerful, so loving but look so empty? Her brain was beating agents her skull when she glanced at him, secretly in hope he would not catch her looking; her heart skipped a beat when his purple gaze was looking at her, and her face grew hot. _

"_I have heard." She began softly, tired of walking but felt it was not her place to speak and closed her mouth before any more words could escape without thought._

"_Please Tigeama-san." Yuki turned to her, his silver hair caught in the soft breeze, "do continue." _

_She took an inhale of breath, the feeling of his dark gaze had her on ends, "I have heard of the nickname that a group of girls keep calling you." she turned to him with a raised eyebrow and a sly smile, "Prince Yuki." _

"_Oh…" He seemed a little taken back, "yes that is what I am called by a few fan girls." _

_Karri chuckled softly, the sound rattling her chest, "Sound I bow for you then?" _

_Yuki chuckled softly, but became quiet again as his violet eyes found something in front of him that made those dark pools to glow. Karri drew her arms around herself as the same feeling fell upon her like a blanket. She could see it in his eyes, the secrets that he hides so deeply in his heart. _

_She fell behind him, her head bent so her blond hair protected her face from anyone. She was alone, once again as she fallowed the kids from her school, their words washing over her, pushing her further into the darker part of her mind, the empty shell she hide in. _

_She knew it was wrong to talk to anyone, especially the boy, for she knew it would only end like this; but she thought it would have been a little different, like the books she would read when there was free time. None of them had an ending like this. Maybe Grandfather was right. Maybe no one wanted to bother with an inadequate girl like she._

_Her footsteps became slow, until they moved no more and the taunting sounds of her "friends" reached her no more. A cold breeze pulled at her school uniform, touched her skin like a lick of ice. She continued to walk down a different street than the others had taken, the only street she knew, and sighed with slight delight when she halted before a large platform of stairs._

"_Hello dear friend." She sat down on a stone step as another cool breeze shook her hair, awakening the fallen leaves on the ground._

_Her blue eyes watched the disserted street, the swinging sign beside her creaked loudly in the autumn air, the metal 'LIBRARY' letters barely staying on the wooden board, sent shivers down her spin as she laid back, and the sky above her becoming a blue blanket. A drape of protection. _

_Why did she join Naru and the others? She wondered over and over again as she watched the passing clouds above her, she knew what would happen. No body had ever spoken to her since her Grandmother died, why would they start now._

_She felt the world as an empty space, just a walk in a bleak white room. Why did she have to endure everyday of walking, not running through a new room? A colorful room that the other children she use to watch from her closed window lived. Why did god place her on this Earth and have her hate it so? _

_She closed her eyes as she heard someone running, screaming someone's name, a muffled sound to her draped ears. They were coming closer, but she stayed still knowing that no one would be calling her name for no one knew it._

"_Tigeama-san!" She felt her body stiffen, but shook knowing it was just her mind playing a dirty trick. _

_She continued gazing up at the sky, her eyes burning._

"_Karri!" It was that voice, not hers. _

_She closed her eyes, tight, trying to block out the sound but it only came closer. _

"_Karri_."

She opened her eyes and her mouth fell open, "Sohma-san."

He was standing over her, his silver hair caught in the breeze again, pulling it into his violet eyes as he stared down at her. His breathing was hard, like he had been running.

She closed her eyes, afraid it was just an allusion, "Stop playing tricks on Me." she told her self.

"Tigeama-san this is not a trick." she felt his finger on her cheek, wiping something away from her eye, "I could never pull a trick on you." it was a warm touch to her cold skin, welcoming to her shaking figure.

"Then why are you here?" She demanded sitting up.

His violet pools held hers with truth, "I was so caught up with my covetously problem I didn't see you walk off." he looked away, "I shouldn't have been so foolish to leave you alone after we invited you too hang out with us."

She looked at him closely, watching to see any sign of propaganda, "You should be with them." she looked away, knowing she had no right to stare at someone like him, a prince, "your time would be better spent with your friends, instead of an inadequate girl like I."

He took a seat next to her on the stone step, "I disagree." his knees were brought to his chest as he looked out to the street, "Why do you make your self so negative, Tigeama-san?"

She felt his gaze upon her, tearing at her skin to hear the truth, "Why do you and your cousin fight?" she turned the question around, not wanting to revel her dark secret.

"I did something to anger him years before we were children," He looked out to the sky, his violet eyes hidden, "and he is still upset about it today."

How could he do something to anger Kyo before they were born? She drew away trying to figure out the riddle, however the only thing she could conclude was that it was a parents fault.

"Where are the others?" She questioned softly, the awkward silence was building between them.

"They should be here soon." His violet gaze fell upon her, "Tunshuki-san had an idea that you would be here." Was it just her, or was he getting closer? "They took a different way because she said you might have gotten lost."

"Naru knows me too well." Karri chuckled under her breath as she looked out to the street.

It became quiet. Soundless like it was at home and it was shaking her insides with anger. She bit her lip, clenched and unclenched her fist as she shared the step with the Prince. She wanted too run away, to hide away from his royalty look but when his violet gaze fell upon her, she wanted to stay behind and watch what those dark pools would do."I some times wish…" she began telling him without thought, "that I was in the Zodiac story." she was yelling at her self to bit her tongue, to stop before she let her self go, "above the clouds, as animals, living together as a family." she brought her knees to her chest as her eye began to burn again, her vision becoming blurry, "happily…together."

Yuki chuckled, darkly, not a sign of elation, but of knowing and hatred, "If only you knew."

"And how do you know?" She was still hiding in her knees, "you have a family that loves you, talks to you." her voice was a whisper, "that is alive."

She had surprised him, "I am sorry Tigeama-san." he stiffened next to her, "I did not know."

_How could you?_ She thought as a tear escaped her eye, "I am sorry Sohma-san. I should not be doing this in front of you."

"Why?"

He had surprised her with his question, "What?" she questioned as she looked at him, her eyes feeling puffy. It had been along time since she had cried.

"Why are you sorry?" He questioned, "Why are you are you always hiding?" his voice was becoming hard, demanding, "Why are you so quite?" his voice became soft, "why…" he couldn't finish.

Her eyes were wide open, showing how surprised she was within her light blue eyes. Her mouth ran dry and her brain came to a blank.

"I am sorry." He exhaled softly, "I was out of place."

"I…" she clenched her fist, her finger nails dug into her palms painfully, "I have a…secret that makes me the way I am." she was looking to the ground, afraid to see the laughter in his violet eyes, "only Naru knows about it."

His finger forced her chin up, his eyes filled hers with comfort, not deride, "Is that why you two are so close?"

She shook her head, his eyes forcing her speechless.

"Do you think…?"Thought filled his voice, fear tingling on his tongue, "maybe…we could become friends and you could tell me your secret?"

Her mouth fell upon as joy filled her chest. Of course, she would want to have him as a friend, but her Grandfather became her thoughts again.

"_They only want you're for your thoughts, your ability to think fast and remember everything you read." _His old voice shook her body, _"dear child, ignore the ones that want to use you. Which is _everyone!_"_

"Karri!" She felt the arms around and the small body pushing her to the ground, "Thank God we found you! I thought you were lost, and I was right! I'm so sorry we left you there…did you look one way and then the next we were gone? It's my fault, I'm shouldn't be your friend-"

"Naru just calm down!" Karri cried as the freshmen cried into her chest, "Sohma-san found me. I wasn't in any trouble anyways."

Naru sat back, her green eyes looking Karri over then with shrugged shoulders, "Okay Kar-Kar." her voice was not misleading. She knew Karri was lying.

"Great!" Kyo cheered with fake enthusiasm, "We found her! Can we go home now?"

"Yeah, yeah." Naru chuckled softly standing to her feet, "let's go." she held her hand out for Karri to take.

"What were you two doing while we weren't around?" Kyo chuckled as Karri stood to her feet.

"Hush kitty-boy." Karri snipped with a small smirk.

"What did you call me?!" Kyo growled while jumping up and down.

Tohru sighed taking his hand and leading him away from Library steps with Naru fallowing. Yuki turned to her with a small frown, "He does get annoying."

Karri smiled, "He isn't that bad."

He snorted, "Yeah, if you like cats."

She smirked and without thinking, stepped forward, "I'm more of a vermin kind of girl." she pinched his cheek softly, a soft feeling in her chest made everything around her seem to glow, "rats are very cute."

"I….like rats too." She was surprising him again by her sudden outburst of audacity. _Does she know? But how…?_ He thought quickly, fear building up his spin.

She began walking down the steps, her blond hair swinging with her movement and the Prince couldn't take his eyes off of, even though he was screaming at himself to remove his eyes, thoughts and mind to something completely different before his did, or said anything that he didn't mean too; his heart was already beating to hard, any more unwanted thumps and he might actually transform, "Hey Sohma-san?" she asked softly when she halted at the gates, "what time is it?"

His eyes were on her, standing before the setting sun. He gulped as a feeling grasped his heart, his breathing becoming hard again; "Ummm…" he glanced at the watch on his wrist, "Eight thirty."

"What was that?" He eyes filled with worry, turning a dark blue.

He checked to make sure he read it right, "Eight thirty."

She gasped covering her mouth with her hands.

"Tigeama-san?" Yuki questioned softly from her sudden reaction, "is there something wrong?"

She could only shake her head, barely able to breath with her hands over her mouth. She did not care; she wanted the breathing to stop in her lungs, to freeze before her lips. It was late, later than what she had told Grandfather, and she knew what would become of her. Now, with dark blue eyes, Karri turned to the street before her and tried to call for her friend, the only one who knew the secret, the only one who needed to know, but the only thing she could manage to produce was a whimper.

_She felt broken inside. _

_She would be broken on the __outside_.

She fell, surprising the Prince, and brought her arms around her self, wanting to disappear. She had lied to Grandfather, and then forgot what time she needed to be home. The plan had blown up in her face and now she could do only one thing. Face Grandfather and take the punishment his cane could dish out; _At least it was one day of Un-sinful fun_. She told her self, the cement floor scraping agents her back as she looked up at the sky, probably for the _last_ time.

She had made friends, lost them and found them all in one day. It was going to be harder to say goodbye than what she had planned.

Why did she have to listen to Naru? Why didn't she just go home and face the less painful punishment then? Maybe she wanted it this way. Was _this_ what it felt like to have friends? Was it that bad of a climax in life?

Her face was being held by someone's hands, "Karri what's wrong?"

She knew Naru's voice, could feel her and Sohma-san standing right next to her; even if she had closed her blue eyes.

"The Time, Naru…." Her voice was forced, obedient as she felt life draining away from her, "Please Naru, don't let them know of what I am hiding." she felt Naru's small arms around her, and she knew her friend understood, "Please, if I leave now I could tell _him_," her voice shivered, "I got stopped after school for some problems with my paperwork."

* * *

She did not know how it happened. However, she was standing before the playground. The swings moving softly in the wind and the leaves stirred in the pit of the unused slide.

Karri smiled softly, seeing her only section of freedom god had given her, her heart beating softly in her chest.

"An old playground?" Kyo snorted with his arms crossed, "did you get all up-set cause you couldn't come and play here after school?"

Karri frowned giving the orange hair boy an icy glare as she turned away from the group, "It was very pleasant to meet you three today." she bowed respectfully, "perhaps if luck permits it, we shall meet again." her voice held no emotion, her face molded into one of stone. She was like a barren wall.

"Won't you be at school Monday?" Tohru questioned.

Karri shook her head, turning away from them, "You wouldn't understand." "What-" Naru grabbed Tohru's hand before she could continue and shook her head, telling the brunet to keep quite.

"She's got to go home." The freshmen explained with tears in her green eyes, "We'll see you later, karri." her voice held small hope.

Karri shook her head, softly, side-to-side.

"Well this is a little dramatic." Kyo sighed walking away with the freshmen and a worried Tohru.

"Something's wrong." Karri was surprised when his voice spoke to her, "is this the secret you were talking about?" The Prince stood before her, his violet eyes pouring into hers, wanting answers, "what ever this secret is." he spoke carefully, stepping closer to her, " I know it's much worse than being late for dinner," he tucked a golden strand behind her ear. She looked up at him, clearly afraid that he knew what she was hiding. He frowned, seeing it in her blue eyes, "I hope too see you on Monday." he whispered in her ear before turning to catch up with Naru and the others.

Karri blinked. How could he have been so close, but without even touching her? She still felt his words on her skin and frowned from their meaning. Something tore inside her chest, a feeling that brought tears to her eyes.

Time was running thin now, she finally noticed as the sun was hiding behind the trees surrounding the playground. She clenched at her chest as she turned to the street and fallowed the black road pass the houses of her neighbors, until she finally found the door that belonged to the little blue house on the corner; the entrance to her own hell.

Her fingers curled around the cold, brass knob that sent electricity though her spin, a sign to just turn around and run. Why couldn't she? Her body pushed agents the wooden door and she stepped in to what appeared to be an empty house. The lights were disabled but the soft sound of jazz music filled the house with an eerie feeling and a stomach turning feeling to Karri's stomach.

Music was a sign of how Grandfather was feeling; Classical meant that he was happy, soft rock meant he was tired, classic rock he was energized and jazz meant he was angry. The louder the musical notes got, the more he felt.

Karri gulped as the sound was nearly shaking the house, even though you could barely hear it when you walked in. She shuffled down the dark hallway, passing the empty living place and dinning room; her body was dead as she tried to find the dreaded jazz music. She found the kitchen and she gulped. It was empty, except for a small plate and the old, wooden music player sitting on the counter.

She reached for it, finding it to be a sandwich. Harmless enough, right? The peanut butter and jelly mixed like a concoction of sweets on her tongue and she suddenly remembered with slight satisfaction the math homework she had received today.

Her body froze.

The music had died with a soft _click_. Placing the half-eaten sandwich back on the plate, she let her body reduce every sensation she had experience today, wonder, surprise, laughter and worry. Collecting her self, she placed it in in the back of her mind.

"Good evening, Karri." His crackled voice wisped down her neck, making every hair on her body to stand on end, "did you have a nice day at school today?" she didn't answer. Standing still she continued to face the counter, afraid of looking into the dark blue eyes that haunted her thoughts, "What took you so long to get here?" his wrinkled hand forced her too turn around, to face him. "You were talking to people, weren't you?" his hand struck her cheek, forcing her head to the side as he continued to growl, "you worthless scum." he spat striking her again.

She sat still waiting for the on slaughter from her Grandfather, even with every blow she still kept quiet, but when the old man's cane struck her in the stomach, this time she fell to her knees. His foot collided with her stomach, kicking her into the counter.

Gasping she felt a handle cut into her back, slicing the skin and dug deep into her muscle. Grandfather smirked forcing her shoulder, with the end of his cane, deeper into the dull handle.

"Why do you disobey me young child?" The old man questioned shifting his weight on his cane, "you know I tell the truth. They only want to use you." She nodded her head, believingly. "But you, disobedient child." His dark blue eyes shimmered in the dim kitchen light, sending fear through Karri's heart, "You are worthless no matter what kind of knowledge you hold. You never listen and you will never get anything done in life because of that."

"Y...yes Grandfather." Karri grunted softly, holding onto the wooden stick in hope he would release her.

"Maybe next time you go to school you will listen to me." He spoke, as if a threat, "but you first you will learn your place."

She felt slight relief when he let her go and she slid painfully off the knob, and onto the kitchen floor, getting her face wet with a red liquid.

_Her blood_.

The pain took over her body, even though she pushed agents it, tried to place it in the back of her mind. However, it was to powerful. With a groan, she heard her Grandfather leaving, turning the light switch off as he went. She tried to stand, but her head was dizzy and everything in her body was hurt too much.

Tired she laid there, in her own puddle of blood until she closed her eyes, and everything was dark.

It was still dark and the pain that accumulated from her back nearly made her scream out into the empty like house. Instead, Karri bit her lip and groaned, only softly, for fear of waking up her Grandfather was worse enough to forget the pain, and tried to get out of the drying blood that had coated her face in a deep red, crust paint. She reached out, with a shaking, aching and bruised hand, and grabbed hold of the knob that had, only a few hours ago, been shoved into the muscles of her back like a knife to hot butter, and pulled herself to a sitting position, her blonde, red streaked hair sticking to her arms and face.

_I hope to see you Monday…_ she smiled, even though her cheeks were burning, blood cracking at the new movement of skin; _If only I could, Yuki Sohma._ She thought over and over again as she pictured the Prince, the God, her Savior swirling and twisting with her foggy mind as the loss of blood took her mind in, and out of consciences, _I have a feeling…_ her legs wouldn't move, numbness radiated from her knees like hot fire, refusing to rearrange the muscles that had became comfy while she slept, finally not being of use to move her body; however, she needed to get up and clean this blood before morning came, and Grandfather found the mess…her skin crawled at the though of the cane being used upon her again with hours only in-between the last…she had to get up and clean herself off before the wound on her back closed with unwanted bacteria crawling around, begging to infect the gash, and the soreness that was coming from her face and ribs didn't make the blonde feel any better, either.

Reaching above her, Karri grasped the marble counter above her, and with tired, sore, broken muscles, she pulled her shaking self to her feet, biting her lip so she wouldn't cry out as her body straighten out, recoiled from the tight ball she had been on the ground. First, she shook her head, trying to bi-pass the blood rushing from her head, blinding her for a moment with dizziness; then, shuffled over to the sink and pulled back the old, wooden doors and reached for the cleaner that was nearly empty and turned back to the mess.

_Sooner or later…_ Karri fantasized spraying the clear, foaming cleaner upon the ground, _I might actually run away from this…get away from the Grandfather and his teachings and maybe live a normal life… Yeah,_ her face warmed with the happy thoughts as she bent back down to the ground and started scrubbing, _Naru would come with me and we'd find a place no one could find us, make fun of us, forget about us, or hurt us… _It was sudden, and for a moment her hands stopped moving as a small, knowledgeable voice filled her head.

**My Dear**, the voice spoke, placing a hold upon Karri's body so nothing would move, object, just listen, **Do not forget Yuki****…**

Gasping softly, the blonde felt as if her body came flying into her…like she had been floating, cradled in a soft grip, then suddenly released, shoved back into her skin. Her cheeks were burning as she picked up the red stained rag and crawled to the sink, using the handle there to pull herself back up so she could finish up with the mess.

The Prince…. That would be nice to have him around wouldn't it? However, Karri knew it would be a bad idea… no one besides Naru wanted to be around someone like she, and even sometimes the blond wondered about her friends loyalty. Naru, the adopted freshmen that has always been in public school, been around people her own age, learning with them, laughing with, just being with them…why would she want to be around someone a year older than her, home schooled and too afraid to talk to people, look them in the eye…why would anybody?

Sighing, Karri placed the wet towel in a hamper and turned to the hallway and quietly made her way down the hall and into the bedroom that was hers; cramped, dusty and smelt of a wound still open. Shutting the door softly, the blond made her way around the books that crowded her walls, floors any place they could fit, and sat down hard on the only thing soft in her room, the white blankets still a mess from her morning routine. Reaching her hands under the bed, her fingers curled around a small box and brought it forth too the small, dark room and frowned softly upon it, "Hello, Old Friend." her fingers found the metal clamps and pulled them open, reveling: ointments, bandages and wraps, that seemed to have been used quit often. Quietly, Karri started with the bandage on her cheek, slowly pulling off the sticky protection device and tossed it in the trashcan, then turned to the ones on her: knees, elbows, neck and the wrappings around her ribs and upper arm.

It didn't take long; but, some how, Karri had been able to check, and reapply if necessary, bandages to wounds that needed it, without passing out. However, when the last band aid had been placed, the blonde didn't waste much time before pulling the covers over her head and digging her head deep into the pillow, _Yuki Sohma… let's run away. _


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAMER: **I do not own any characters of Fruits Baskets and this story is just a fan-fic! However, please enjoy and tell me of what you think!

A Wilted RoseandThe Prince:She was meant For you:

* * *

Naru sighed as she sat in her chair, the sound of her classmates pushed against her patients; crushing against the self-control she had. Her green eyes looked though the crack of her fingers, and glanced at the clock that looked over them like a king in his throne. She sighed with relief.

Five more minutes.

Her thoughts reached out, forgetting she was suppose to be listening to the teacher's lecture, and drifted to her friend that she hadn't seen for nearly two weeks now. Her heart hurt, turned in her chest as she thought about the girl locked away in the small, normal looking blue house. She knew the secret, the dark truth that was hidden in those walls, in the soul of the blond girl.

It came to a surprise when the bell rang, but Naru jumped to her feet and collected her notebook and tossed it into her small, green bag.

"Have a nice weekend, Tunshuki-chan!" she heard a classmate call as she ran from the room throwing her bag over her shoulder.

It was hard for the freshmen to push her way through the crowded hallway, but she advenutally reached her locker and with a great sigh emptied her bag of the useless school supplies. Quickly she turned and slammed her locker door to only bump into something hard.

With a loud groan, Naru laid on her back, her green eyes glaring at the white ceiling above her. This was not how she had her evening planned at all. It was simple really. She had been hoping to make it to the park before night would fall, to see if her prisioned friend was able to escape her cell for a few minutes to prove to Naru that she was still alive, and perhaps not harmed.

A deep chuckle filled her ears and anger coursed through her body. How dare who ever pushed her down laugh! She sat up, her green eyes glaring at the pair of legs that stood before her.

"Hey-" She began, but they bent to her level and his grey eyes forced her silent.

"You should becareful, ya know." He had a soft voice, but its' force nearly took her to the ground again, "people about your height needs to watch where their going."

She shook her head, confused. His thin lips pulled into a smirk as his elegant white hands began picking up the papers that littered the floor, his silver hair shinning in the over head lighting.

"How are you aloud in with _that_ hair cut?" She pointed to the under layer of black, silghtly side-tracked, "I mean…" she began glaring again, "maybe it should be _you_, who should be watching where their going." She mummbled under her breath, "Freaking long legs."

The boy chuckled, tossing her bag into her lap, "Watch that tongue, little girl." He stood tall, his shadow blocking the light, "you never know who might be able to…" his grey eyes seemed to glow, "tame it."

She felt parilized at this strangers' odd domener, the strang sparkle in those grey pools gave Naru a bad feeling; even if he wore a smile, it was filled with wickery.

"Haru!" A voice called and the grey eyes looked away, "Please don't be hurting anyone!"

Naru fell back. Could this boy be wanting to hurt her, was that the look in his odd, grey eyes?

"I'm not doin' anything wrong, kid." The boy growled as someone jumped on his back, "I'm playin' nice to the little girl."

Naru glared as she rubbed the back of her head; _What is this guy's problem?_ She thought to her self.

"Sorry about him." She yelped when a face appaered infront of hers', "He has his moments were he can get really mean; but he wont hurt you." She fell back, her green eyes huge as she took this new boy in. "My names Momijii Sohma," he closed his brown eyes as his lips pulled into a smile, flashing his white, perfect teeth, "and that," he pointed to the other stranger, " is Hatsuharu Sohma."

"Hh…hi." Naru stuttered out, still lost, "Noraginama Tunshuki." The name slipped her tongue, "wait….Naru will work."

Momijii smiled as he stood too his feet, "Okay, Naru." He held a hand infront of her face, "it's vergnügen to meet you!"

She shook her head as thoughts began spinning around her head, "was that German?" she had more questions but only a few passed her lips, "who are you again?" she then remembered her thoughts of visiting Karri and her heart nearly stopped as she imagined the girl sitting alone at the playground, her only place of serenity, expecting her one and only friend, but to only find it empty. It brought tears to her green eyes.

"Hey!" Momijii called out as Naru pushed passed him, throwing the green bag over her shoulder, "where are you going?"

"I have to go somewhere." She simply said, her voice was forced, her emotions mixed as she, surprisingly, wanted to stay with this new comer, "I am very sorry, Sohma-Chan."

Momijii smiled, his brown eyes brightening, "Please, Naru. I am half German." He raced down the hall to catch up with her, "You can call me Momijii."

"Or how about annoying little kid?"

* * *

Yuki Sohma sighed as he closed his locker door softly. Another day of school had gone and now two weeks since he had last seen the mysterious girl that so suddenly appeared in his thoughts, and dreams. He slung the book bag over his shoulder as he turned to his cousins' locker, and waited as the orange hair boy struggled with the code,"Is the combination to hard for the cat to figure out?" He goaded as he rolled his violet eyes.

"Shut it, you stupid rat!" He called back as Tohru reached out and opened it for him. Yuki glanced away, a bitter taste on his tongue. How he hated to see the kind acts she did for him.

"Come on Yuki." She smiled as she turned to him, Kyo scrimmaging around in his locker, " everyone has a little problem with their locker."

He nodded his head, the school day making his patience thin; "You are right, Honda-san." He closed his eyes as he smiled, softly, even though his insides were burning to punch the cat right into a locker, "I just wish to get home to finish some homework I was not able to finish today."

"That is understandable." She smiled as Kyo joined them, his maroon eyes looking his cousin over.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm here, ya happy now?" Yuki rolled his eyes at his cousin's annoying chatter, "Let's just go." Kyo began grumbling as they began walking down the hall, the sound of students behind them.

"It would only be better if you would learn to keep your mouth shut." The princes muttered under his breath and with a frown ignored the comments from his cousin. He closed his eyes, thinking back to a week ago. Karri. Where'd had she gone? Not from his thoughts, or dreams but just the place he had met her at. How was it possible that this girl kept creeping into his thoughts? It angered him slightly, as he thought about it more. The last he had opened his heart, his soul to another, she chose the one that annoyed him the most, and now he only envied him more.

His thoughts were interrupted by his cousin, to no surprise; "How about annoying little kid?"

Yuki open his violet eyes and found the hall full of people he knew; but it surprised him to see how it was. He first spotted Haru leaning agents a locker, his gray eyes watching carefully of their other cousin, Momijii talking to girl in his class.

"Momijii! Naru!" Tohru smiled as she approached the freshmen, "how are you?"

"Tohru have you meet Naru?" His brown eyes were glued to the blond girl.

The brunette smiled, the smiled that brightened the room, "Yes I have!" her green eyes looked between them, "how are you, Naru?"

The blond smiled, softly as if she wished not to be there, "I am fine." Yuki could hear the rush in her voice, "but I do wish to be leaving."

Momijii turned to her with a frown that the Sohma family had never seen before, "Why?" he seemed to be whining as he took her hand, "we just met!"

"Yes I know." Her face was red, making Tohru chuckle under her breath, "but I do have to meet up with a friend."

The Prince froze. A friend? Could it be...?

"I wanna to go!" Momijii cried aloud, still grasping her hand.

Yuki could see the pain in Naru's green eyes, the forced smile that showed as she tried to explain to his cousin why he couldn't accomplish her to meet this "friend", "If you are in such a hurry, Tunshuki-san," he paused as the attention was drawn onto him, "who is it you wish to see." He added with his polite tone, "If you don't mind me asking, of course." But he wanted to know; to make sure that his deduction was true.

"I don't think she would want me telling." The freshmen spoke quietly, head bent to the ground, "I wish to be in a hurry for I fear she will not be there when I arrive."

He understood, silently, but he stared at her, waiting for any more information, "Are you going to see _them_ tonight?" it was a quick question, but it seemed to work.

"Yes." She looked up from under her lashes, the green pools barely visible behind the curtain of blond hair.

"Please," Yuki spoke, demanded as he stepped closer to the freshmen, "Let me go with you." The begging in his tone surprised his family, their eyes upon him like he had spoken another language, "_please_." He added quietly as his voice cracked with the emotion that was crawling up his throat, into his thoughts.

"I still want to go!" Momijii broke the odd silence as everyone eyes the Prince.

Haru stepped forward and grasped his cousin by the shoulder, "Not this time kid." He could feel the tension floating around Yuki, and he feared of what the consciences of waiting much longer would create, "Maybe next time."

Momijii turned his brown eyes excitedly to Naru, "Really?"

The blond stepped forward, "It was nice meeting you, Momijii Sohma." Her lips touched his cheek softly, like feathers to his skin, "I'll see you in class Monday." Her face felt as if it was on fire, but she turned to the princes with a stern expression, as if it was tearing her up inside to be still standing here, "If you wish too come, only you can."

He nodded his head, understanding and turned to Tohru, "Honda-san, could you please take my bag back to the house with you and Kyo?" he handed over his belongings with out even a thought, "I will try to be home by dinner."

The brunette knodded her head with a small smile tugging at her lips, her green eyes shinning at the princes, "Is there anything you would like?"

He began walking away with Naru at his side; _The only thing that seems right, is too see Karri…_

* * *

It was awkward, Naru noted, as she lead the way with the prince at her side; she was trying her best to keep up with his much-longer than her stride. Her legs were shaking under her weight, screaming for her to pause, to take a break from this constant jog. "Yuki!" The gasped out, bending at the waist, not able to keep up with him anymore, "I am sorry, but I can not keep with at this rate."

He returned to her side, "Do take your time, Tunshuki-san." He words were forced, "You do not need to over work yourself." His words were lies, his eyes were yelling at her to stand, forget about the pain and show him to her. But that would be too bold.

_He wanted to get there. _

"Why," Naru questioned when she began walking again, "are you doing this?"

He turned his violet eyes upon her, still begging for her to walk faster, "What are you talking about, Tunshuki-san?" his eyes were screaming the truth.

_He wanted to see her. _

She dug her hands into her jacket pocket, her green eyes on the ground, that was underneath their feet, "Why are you coming with me?" they turned the corner, "to see Karri?" she secretly thought to herself; _Is what I see in your eyes a hidden fervor? _

The princes grew quite as he thought carefully why he had join her with out even thought, "because…" his voice was raw with emotion as his silver hair protected the violet pools, "she makes me feel…worth something." He was speaking a speech he had no control of, a train of thought that should not have passed his lips.

"But…" Naru started digging, clueing for his reasons, "You have only known her for a day."

He looked at the sky above them, "I thought I had felt this feeling before, but it was only a lie." Naru felt even more confused about this princes, "this feeling is raw, strange to me…but it's as if I can actually talk to a person that shares the same fate as me." He chuckled darkly, his eyes shut, "I sometimes wonder if I've finally reached my point and have just gone insane."

Naru smiled softly as she studied Yuki, it had only taken two weeks but the princes was finally opening up to her, speaking actual words and not the regular conversation she heard everyday.

Their shoes touched the playground grass at the same time, both their heads searching the field with only one thought on their mind.

_Karri._

"No…" Naru fell to the ground as her green eyes looked to the swings, the slide and back, and to her horror, it was as if no one had even been to this play-ground for years. She felt the grass tearing at her knees, staining her socks as she continued to search the field with her heart shattering in her chest, "Karri…what has happened to you?"

"Tunshuki-san…" Yuki spoke softly, his voice in alarm, "what is wrong?"

The blond wanted to scream, stand to the world and explode the truth._Can't you see?_ She could hear herself saying, feel the truth falling from her tongue; _it's her grandfather you fool!_ She wanted to turn to the Princes with the truth, yell it in his face in hope he would understand, but she knew he wouldn't. How could he?

His voice was tight as he turned to her, "She's not here." He helped Naru to her feet, "let's leave before the neighbors start to think we're up to something." He forced himself to turn, showing the play-ground his back as if giving up on it, as he felt his hope slip through his fingers…he was tired of being part of a game…

Naru sighed with agreement and cleaned her face with the back of her hand, "I really thought she would have been here."

Yuki wanted to turn to her, anger was crawling in the back of his mind. _Just give up!_ He could hear himself saying, his anger speaking for him; _she's gone! What did you expect when you put all your hope into one thing?!_

The wind blew and Naru froze, "Did you hear that?" she turned to the prince with hope in her emerald eyes.

He waited and found nothing, "Tunshuki-san," he paused to make sure he wasn't going to scream, "There is nothing there."

There was a small smile on her lips, but tears fell down her face; "Listen carefully." She turned back to the playground, dropping her bag as she ran to the jungle gym and nearly screamed when she halted at the slide.

Yuki picked his head up and fallowed the freshmen to the slide to finally see _her_, but the sight almost made him gag. There she laid, Karri, the girl that had so suddenly appeared in his thoughts; her skin was pale, as if paper, her lip was swollen and the grease in her hair stuck to her face as if she had not been able to shower for days.

The sight was terrible, but he felt his stomach leap to know she was still around, and not a fragment of his imagination.

"Hey…" Karri tried to smile, but a soft crack filled the silent field and blood began seeping from her bottom lip and into the band-aid that covered her right cheek, "what have I missed?"

Naru fell forward bringing her friend in an embrace, but with drew when the blond hissed in pain. She rolled up her shirt and flashed her wrapped torso, making the freshmen to groan with disgust on her tongue. "He got you good, huh?"

Karri chuckled, the sound rattling her sore body, "You could say that…" her blue eyes picked up and froze when they landed on the princes, "Yuki…" her face was flushed behind most of the band-aid, "What…" she couldn't find the strength to finish.

"He wanted to come, Kar-Kar." Naru spoke up for his silence, "he _wanted_ too."

Karri turned her blue gaze away from the princes, "I am glade you made it," her voice was becoming thick, hard to understand at a moment, "the old man is sleeping."

"Who could have done this?" Yuki gasped suddenly, his violet eyes staying only on Karri, "how…?" he felt her blue gaze on him, "Tigeama-san….Karri."

His words were like a wave of relief upon her, but she had to speak what was upon her mind, "You have seen what I have been hiding." She hoped this wasn't true, but she had to listen to grandfather at some point, and now seemed to be the exact moment, "do you see the worthless being I am…the punishment I have to receive for being apart of _your_ world…?"

His jaw was clenched, his violet eyes shut as her words washed over him, sunk into his skin like some kind of poison; "No…" he spoke to himself, "I do not see that."

Karri chuckled, this time it was too much for her weakened frame, "You are a blind fool, Yuki Sohma." The blood dripped from her lip as she stared at the princes, wanted him to know she was not worth him, even if her heart ached to see him this way, as if in pain, so much like she; "no matter how hard that basterd tries…I some how still continue to breath…he tells me I am worthless, but he still uses me…" her voice was becoming slurred, her blue eyes clouded, "why should you two care about me? I am not worth your sympathy."

"That is not true, Karri!" Naru almost growled from underneath her tears, "you are everything to this world! You wake up with a meaning to live, even with _him_ still walking! It should be him who should be speaking these words, not you! Do not, I swear to god, do not let some godforsaken harebrained cripple of a man tell you that you are no good!

"Karri, can you not see? you have friends who care about you. Don't let them down…please Karri. Don't listen to him, just….please!"

Yuki watched as the freshmen fell to her knees and grasped the slide with her shaking fingers, but his eyes held Karri. How could someone take over his thoughts in only a day, and now be crying before him that she was useless, a speck of dirt on the world's shoe? No, it was the complete opposite. _She_ was the reason _he_ was useful. He wanted to scream this to her, collect her in his arms so they could share their thoughts together , explain to the world that they were _not _dirt, but something great.

Karri placed a hand on top of her friend's head, her fingers caressing the blond locks; "I do have to return home Naru." Her voice was forced as she stood with the help of the slide, "he expects me to be reading…"

"I don't want to leave you like this." Naru cried as she stood to help study out her friend, the tears were blinding her vision.

"If you don't." Karri coughed, "it'll only make it that much worse."

The freshmen embraced her friend, "When will we be able to meet up again?" she cleaned her face with the back of her hand, "it will have to be when you are able to carry your self with out bleeding somewhere." She was trying to chuckle, but only more tears fell from her eyes.

"Believe it or not, Naru and Yuki." Karri tried to laugh, but winced as she turned her sky blue eyes upon the two of them, "I've gotten a lot better in the past couple of days."

It tore something inside of Yuki as he watched Karri walk away; it was strange the way he just wanted to run after the blond and carry them both to somewhere far away from the troubles of the world, problems that made life hard; but his mind reminded him with a harsh slap the reason why his own life was hell.

* * *

"_Someone once wrote,_" he could still hear her voice as if she was standing right next to him, _"look toward the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them."_ It confused him of why she would say such a thing, but the fact that he could still hear her voice was what carried him the rest of the way home with a numb feeling that he had only felt a few times in his life. He enjoyed it, feeling the thoughts crawling in the back of his mind, but he still couldn't get _her_ from his thoughts.

"_You are a blind fool, Yuki Sohma_," he thought about what she said, "_do you see the worthless being I am?_" he vowed he would show her that she was _not_ worthless, that she was something to someone.

_He would show her, even if it meant reliving the things in his past he so wished to forget. _


	5. Chapter 5

The sun was shinning, no cloud in the sky to block away the warming light, to hide the warmth that was spread upon her skin like bread and butter. No, nothing could take way her freedom, not this morning, at least. Karri was free of her room for eight straight hours; no Grandfather, no cane, no plain, encaging, white walls…just school and people who cared about her.

She smiled down at her friend, who smiled back throwing her bag over her shoulder. Karri felt a soft autumn breeze and brushed a loose strand from her face, "How much do you think I have missed?"

Naru spoke up, loudly, "Do you mean the homework, or people?" she smirked skipping head to face her, walking backwards, "Cause I do know there is one little individual that has missed you terribly…"

Karri swung her book bag at the smaller blonde, "I meant the schoolwork…"

"Geeze," Naru emphasized a groan, still walking backwards, "I was only joking… but, no, you haven't missed anything you haven't already got caught up on." With a smile, she continued, "Seriously…have you talked to Yuki since… since the park?"

"You should know that answer." Karri sighed turning her blue eyes to the ground beneath her feet; oh, how I have wished to talk to the Prince, however… She dared not speak the words, kept them locked inside with a fear for of Grandfather finding out as the cage. "How are you and Momiji?" her head was titled with much interest to hear what her friend had to say.

"Well…" Naru cleared her throat, slightly nervous, "we're fine, I guess- I mean- we're friends and all…"

"And you just want it too go further…?" Karri's blue eyes were now the color of the sky; filled with interest.

Naru's face was bright pink, her fingers occupied with the strap on her book bag, "exactly…"

"Why don't you just talk to him about it?" Karri interjected reaching out with a hand to brush a pig-tail on the side of her friend's head, "I'm sure he likes you back."

"But…that's just the problem!" Naru cried her green eyes large, reflecting the confusion she was hiding inside, "he talks to everybody…what if I'm just confused about this whole thing. I'll talk to him, he'll tell me that he just sees me as a friend and I'll be mammoth-sized embarrassed!"

A smirk pulled at the corner of Karri's lips as the school building came into view, "Well…" She repositioned her bag strap on her shoulder, "here's your chance too talk to him."

"What-?" Naru gasped tripping over a small crack in the cement and fell to the ground. "Ouch!" She proclaimed rubbing her rear end as a group approached them from the school's court yard.

"Good morning, Naru-chan!" A bright smile welcomed them, "it's so good to see you again, Karri-chan!"

The blonde smiled as the group in circled them, "And the same to you, Tohru-chan." It was odd to feel the eyes on her of the ones she called friends, it had been so long since she had been around them, heard their voices, felt the happiness that was around them.

Kyo stepped forward, a frown pulling at his lips as a finger pointed at her, "What the hell happened too you?" his maroon gaze was falling up and down her body, pulled at her band-aids like harsh tweezers.

"Kyo," The voice was sharp, but sent shivers through Karri's body as it echoed in her ear, in the silent air around them, "Why do you have to ask such stupid questions?"

"It's not a stupid question!" Kyo cried in defense turning around to face the speaker, "I just want to know why she's all wrapped up! She's like a mummy for Christ's sake, get off my back!"

Karri felt her stomach in knots; her knees were shaking as all eyes turned away from her, and to the one that had helped her through the darker part of her week. She couldn't help but smile, couldn't help the warmth that spread through her body when he stepped into the group, became the main core of attention, "Yuki-chan…" the name slipped passed her lips, a petite sound as he stood before her with such grace.

He smiled at her, and she knew her body could not stand to structure its' self for much longer, "Karri… long time no see?"

She chuckled softly, "A very, very long time." She felt the sudden urge to leap forward, to be collected into his arms, and feel the warmth that was there; she wanted to take his hand and run the other way of the school, to be free of all the troubles that fallowed them here, home, and anywhere they could possibly go… It was him she wanted, and for some reason, she liked the feeling of wanting in her body, the aching need to be around him, the small fire of happiness he started inside of her…

"Awww!" Naru was still sitting on the ground as she looked between her friend and the Prince, "isn't that too cute?"

Karri felt the sudden urge to kick the blonde, the silence had been broken, "Why are you still down there?"

"It looks like fuuuunnnn!" A squeal broke through the group, and a flash surprised Karri, "I wanna join!" She glanced down and found another blonde form sitting next to Naru at their feet.

"Momiji…" Tohru spoke first, "where did you come from?"

"Hatori dropped me off!" The little blonde boy smiled messing with one of Naru's pig-tails, "he wished all of you a wonderful day, and reminds you too eat your fruits and vegetables!"

"What ever, kid." Kyo groaned slipping his hand into Tohru's, "we need to be heading in before the tardy bell rings."

"And we can not be late!" Momiji proclaimed jumping to his feet with Naru's hands in his, "We must hurry!"

The group chuckled softly as they watched the two disappear. It grew silent quickly, however and they continued to stand on the grassy outer skirt of the school yard.

"Well…" Tohru smiled pulling Karri into an embrace, "I do hope I will see you during school!"

The blonde winced, but with a pull of her lips waved to Tohru as Kyo guided her into the school. She turned her gaze from the couple and to the only one left. Wait! Her body froze, her knees stiff as stone. She was with the Prince…alone!

She gulped softly, "Hello…Sohma-chan…" her eyes felt suddenly unworthy, dirty as they took in the gorgeous teenager in. God, how his thick, luscious, silver hair blew in the light wind, the way his violet eyes burned a thick sheet of embarrassment upon her skin; he made her want to yell, to jump to the clouds with the happiness that started somewhere inside of her, hidden deep within.

"Good morning, Karri." It surprised her that he had used her name; however, her heart leaped, and her stomach was doing cartwheels as she titled her head to the side, a small smile tugged at her lips, "It has been a long time since I have seen you last…" he paused to take in her whole imagine, "I see you are looking better since then, also."

She blushed, "I am very pleased to hear that you say that." She looked away, the band-aid on her face tugged at her skin and she flinched, "good to see that you look the best as ever." Her hair caught the wind and blew around them like a wave of gold.

Yuki reached out with an elegant hand and smiled delicately as his fingers curled around a lock, "I have missed you, Karri."

Missed me? She felt the soft tug of his grasp, and frowned softly as she watched the Prince closely as he studied her hair; however, his violet eyes were glazed, far beyond her tresses and off somewhere far away; perhaps a memory of long ago, or something that had happened yesterday. She stepped forward, dead in thought as she took a deeper glance into the dark pools, felt hypnotized, as for once, she saw more than the polite emotion. There was something more there. Love and hate; happiness and sadness; the line was thin in the pupils, everything was shown. What have you gone through, Great Prince, to make you have eyes such as these? She couldn't help it. Her hand reached out and brushed softly against his cheek. He felt so warm, so real. She felt him shiver underneath her finger tips, felt the even more emotions as she touched him, memorized the sharp curve of his chin, felt the muscles of his cheeks and the softness of his lips…what part of him wasn't perfect?

She felt her head spinning, her arms, her legs, everything going numb. Her lungs paused, took no air in. She closed her eyes, and a fuzzy image came forth. It was blurry, hard to make out as her mind did laps to figure out what was being shown to her.

When it cleared; it still made little sense. Someone stood before her; they held no eyes, no lips, or nose. They just stood tall, with glossy hair and a hand held out to her. She felt her self shaking, reaching out to take the hand, her only want to take it, to be freed from something that was holding her, oh so tightly. Their fingers were inches apart, she felt her self being ripped in half; their fingers were centimeters apart, her body was begging for her to stop. To retreat to the shadow that hovered behind her; however, her heart was pumping crazily, like a train's engine. It was so loud, so powerful it gave her body a boost, just enough to take their hand and be guided through a bright light…

"My heart…"

She titled her head to the side again, his eyes were hidden, but he still faced the sky as if the sun was casting a new sense of protection upon him, "What…?" her hand was still touching him; his emotions were still on her fingers.

"My world is black…everything is black…" his hand clasped hers, gripping her limb as if a source of staying here, like she would fly away, "why…why do I feel like this?"

She felt confused now, "What do you feel like, Yuki?" she had no idea what he was talking about…but for some reason, she didn't care. What ever he was talking about was giving her time with the boy she had been thinking only of since her punishment… the only one that had ever filled her dreams with brightness.

"It's you… I can't-"His lips were trembling, his eyes still closed.

The bell rang.

"We're late…"

Her stomach dropped. Her whole body felt like a stack of bricks had fallen upon her, shattered her bones and broke her senseless. She looked into his eyes once more and smiled softly, "Thank you, Sohma-chan." She slide her hand from his cheek and collected her book bag in her other hand, "you have shared with me a piece of a puzzle." Walking away, she felt his eyes on her, "one day, I hope we both can place the master piece together, and smile upon it…together."

"Tohru!" Shigure's voice reached her first when she slide the paper door shut and took her shoes off, "welcome back

! How was school?"

She fallowed the call to his office, "It was wonderful!" She leaped into the room with a smile, finding him busy with a newspaper, "Karri-chan was back at school today!" her smile faltered for a seconded, "even if she was covered in band-aids…it was great to have her back!"

"Karri-chan, hmmm?" Shigure paused, laying down his paper, "I think I've heard him talking about her before…it was something about her being absent, he seemed pretty worried about it."

"Yes…" Tohru sighed looking down at the glossy eating table, "Sohma-san does care very much for others, but for some reason…" she glanced up at sensei, "there seems something different about her than any other girl I have ever meet, even Hana-chan …and, when she's around Yuki…it's like they both seem to brighten up a little…"

"Sounds like little Yuki has his _second_ crush." Shigure smirked resting his head in his open palm, the arm held up by the table, "and what do you mean 'she seems different'? She's not some weirdly-kiddy, is she?"

Tohru tilted her head to the side, completely unobvious to Shigure's statement about Yuki's seconded crush, "I don't know…" she thought about his first question, "she kind of reminds me of…" she glanced at Sensei, "like she's one of the Zodiac."

He chuckled softly, "But it's impossible!"

"I know…" She sounded embarrassed by her statement, "but, it's true! She's very quiet, and relaxed…she's like Yuki-chan, but then she's not…" She was unapparent of the shadow that had taken over the brown eyes that were watching her, "they just met and all, and that's the weird part. They've barely talked, but it's like they've spoken to each other in the past many times."

Shigure's brown eyes thinned suddenly, "As if she was made for him, and he for her?"

Tohru threw her hands up, "Yeah!" she smiled, calming down in her seat, "Tigeama-chan is very quiet, so even I have barely heard her speak."

"I'm sure you'll be able to become the best of friends." Shigure smiled softly, "you're just too cute to not fall in love with, Tohru."

_The two giggled softly, probably because they did not know who was standing just behind the door…_

"So…what do you think it is, Tohru?" Shigure questioned after calming down.

The brunette bit her lip in thought, "I think it's very cute." She held her hands together under her chin.

_She didn't know that she was making the intruder angry. Their heart was pumping, their legs felt weak…everything was hurting… if only Hatori was here…_

"If someone is able to fall in love with someone that quick…it must be true love!"

"Sounds like a novel…" Shigure rubbed his chin, glancing off into space, "I can see it now…yes…"

"I am glade that you were able to think of an idea, Shigure." Tohru smiled, "it kind of reminds me of how my Mom and Dad's relationship was…but less Yankee and more school."

He smiled again, "Do you know the story of how they fell in love?"

"It reminds me so much of Yuki and Karri." Her hands were folded again, placed under her chin, "I can see the love they hold, but yet…they seem too afraid to express it."

_That was it, the happiness that they were speaking was making _them_ mad...it was impossiable to keep the anger that was boiling up inside of them contanded... They couldn't take it anymore, not again_

"What's this…?" They stepped from the doorway and reviled themselves to the two, "is Yuki trying to leave me …again?"


	6. Chapter 6

Happiness was all she felt. Nothing could bust her bubble, not matter who tried. She smiled brightly through out the day, for the first time since she had seen Karri, nearly three weeks ago.

"Naru!" She paused in the hallway and turned around trying to figure out who had called out her name, "Naru! Please wait!"

"Momiji-chan…" Her feet paused near her locker and she smiled when he skidded to a halt before her, "are you okay?"

"Have you heard?" He ignored her question, bouncing on his toes, "did you see her?"

"Have I seen who, Momiji-chan?" She titled her head to the side and felt her pigtails running down the side of her head.

It was like he couldn't help him self. His smile burst, "Karri is back!"

"Oooh…" She smiled softly, half expecting it to be something else, "yes. Me and Karri walked to school together this morning."

She felt admittedly sorry as his brown eyes fell to the floor; "I see…" his voice was soft, broken.

She reached out, with a shaking hand and forced his chin up, "Why are you sad all of the sudden?"

"I wanted to surprise you…" He sounded near to tears, "and now I can't cause you already know!"

"That's it?" She threw her head back with a soft laugh, "Momiji, you don't have to surprise me with anything…"

A sudden smirk grew on his lips, and she titled her head to the side with wonder, "What are you doing tonight?"

"What…?" His question had caught her completely off guard, "Why you askin'?"

"Why are you asking, Naru…" The familiar voice caught her again, and she almost squealed with excitement.

"KARRI!" She smiled pass Momiji as the blond approached them, "how was your school day?"

The band-aid pulled back, allowing Karri to smile, "It was magnificent." She paused, a small smile on her lips, "With Yuki's help, I was able to figure out some class work I had forgotten to do."

"But…" her lips were parted in confusion, "didn't you get…" she noticed the soft wink from her friend, and smiled brightly. It wasn't like Karri to be talkative, or to actually want to be with someone, but Yuki was bringing out the friend Naru had, the one that she only saw while at the park…not while in public, or at school… it was the person she had fallen in love with as a sister, and Naru was very grateful to see the blonde on speaking terms with someone besides she, "I see… So what are you doing?"

The Prince appeared by her side, "We were planning on going to the library, so she can get caught up on things."

Naru's green eyes held a secret smirk at Karri before turning to Yuki, "tonight?"

He nodded his head, politely, "Since school is out, it's Friday and Karri already told her grandfather that she had to stay…" he tucked his hands into his pockets as his violet gaze were glued to Karri, transferred nowhere else, "I figured it would be the best time."

She smiled, "I see!"

"And what of Momiji and yourself, Naru?" Karri question with a raised eyebrow, "do you two have anything planned tonight?"

"Actually…"

"I was hoping she would like to hang out with me tonight!" Momiji smiled brightly, "I haven't been able to talk to you very much in school recently, and you promised that we could someday, Naru!"

A dark shadow suddenly appeared over the group, "Did I just hear that the little kid is going on a date…?"

Naru shuffled softly to view who had approached them, "Hatsuharu…" the name slipped her lips. He frightened her…sent fear through her since the first time they had meet…he was just so tall, and quiet, and mysterious…

"Yo." He nodded in her direction, "so what were you talking about?"

Her cheeks were flaring; had Momiji asked her out on a date, or was it just a time to hang out as 'friends'? Her stomach was in knots… what should she do? Her green eyes skimmed around the group, half expecting one of them to burst out laughing for she knew she looked stupid. What was she too do? Oh, how she wanted him to ask her such a question, but for his way of saying, could it mean the reasoning behind this was just as alliance, or what she wanted it too be…

_A Date…_

"Tigeama-san and I were about to head to the library." Yuki answered, glancing down at Karri, who was holding her head down, "sorry to have to leave so soon, but…" he smiled softly, bowing and placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "Are you ready, Karri?"

It warmed Naru's heart to see the smile that pulled the band-aid nearly to her hairline, "Yes, Yuki…I'm ready."

_Damn…_Naru watched the blond walk away; _how am I suppose to figure this out if the brain is leaving…?_She glanced around at Momiji, then Haru and smiled, weakly, feeling so short compared to the giant, and the midget that was taller than she, "Umm…Karri!" she placed her bag next to her locker, "excuse me, Momiji, just for a sec." It wasn't hard to catch up with her friend, but the hurt that had shown in the brown eyes was what almost made her turn around and run back; but she had to figure things out, first, "I need to talk too you."

The blue eyes were filled with question as they looked the freshmen over, "I thought you were suppose to be having an evening of romantic affairs with Momiji-chan..?" Her tone was filled with a soft taunting, teasing.

It caught Naru off guard to hear it here, at school, and before the Prince. "Humph!" Naru crossed her arms, "I'm thinking twice about talking too you, now."

The blondes thick bottom lip stuck out in a fake pout, "Awww…don't make me feel so guilty!" she nodded her head softly, "Can Yuki stay, or should I send him away?"

Naru chuckled softly, "I would prefer it be you and me…"

"I understand." Yuki smiled softly, ever so politely, bowed and turned to the library, "I will be waiting."

"Now…" Karri waited for the door to close before she turned to her friend, "what seems so important."

Naru waited a moment longer, surprised at what she saw. The blue eyes, the ones she had gotten to know, oh so well, were somehow…different…? They were still the same blue, the same jewels she had learned to read, to know how her friend was feeling, were different. They were warmer, a new emotion that Naru had never seen her friend express before, were now keeping the pools inviting, as if the oceans had been swam in…wanted…cared for…

"Hello…?" She shook her head from the hand before her eyes, "did you pause me too stare, or question me?"

"Sorry…" she smiled softly, embarrassed, "so…" she jumped the gun, her green eyes were held stiff with this confused emotion, "You know Momiji said he wanted to hang out tonight, but…" her tongue twisted, her hands fastened together in a mighty knot, "I don't know if it's just as friends, or maybe a date…?" she glanced away now, "I don't think I could handle it if he just wants to be friends…I mean… he's so sweet, and loving, and lots of fun to be around! I laugh every moment I'm with him, and deep inside…" she drew her arms around her torso, "I feel like he's patching up the hole that has been there for a long time…"

Karri's eyes softened, "Oooh…Naru…" She embraced her friend, her arms encaging the small form, "If you feel like you really want to go out with him tonight…just do it!" She pulled away and held the blonde at arms length, "aren't you the one who taught me to take chances, to leap into something with out thinking first, and just enjoy life?"

Naru nodded, hiding her face with the up coming tears burning her eyes, "but this is totally different!"

"How?" Karri nearly shook her, "don't listen to what the hurt is telling you, Naru, listen to your heart." She looked down at her friend, before sighing, "I know it's been hurt before, little one, but if you keep using that excuse…what's going to be the point…?"

Naru snuffled, anxiously playing with Karri's tie, "I guess you're right…"

"Of course I am… I am the teen smarty-pants…" Karri whispered patting the blonde's head, "Now go, before I go for you."

"He-he…" Naru giggled embracing Karri before running off, "Thanks K!"

It didn't take long to get back to her locker, but with hard inhales, Naru paused before Momiji, "You waited…?"

"Of course!" He smiled sitting on the ground, "You asked me to wait…so I waited!"

She smiled, not knowing why; "So…" she looked anywhere but the blonde god that stood before her, "where are we going tonight?"

--

The library was quiet. Calmness was what filled the room, and what let Yuki take a deep breath; lungs constricting, shoulders freed of his authority; it was a moment of relaxation, until he released the air, and the world came crashing down upon him all over again. He sighed, finding a table and placed his book bag on top of the glossy wooden top and glanced around at the others seated about the library; only a few were full, while others held a person, or a small group.

He suddenly felt his stomach twist, the insides of his body felt hot, burned with a wave of jealousy. He wanted the library to be empty. No distractions, no interruptions for the time he was about to spend with her. He tapped the table with an agitated finger as he thought about it; she would be quiet, to afraid to speak out with all the ears, all the eyes that would be watching her, judging her for what she would be saying. He could already see the fear, the wish to be distant, to be hidden with in her eyes.

Secretly, he glared at the people that would dare appose upon his time with Karri, for he wished to be able to hear her voice, see the emotions that would swirl in the oceans that had become so welcomed in his eyes, thoughts, and anything else that could be over come by her, he wanted to see her smile, to feel the way her hair would softly brush against his arm, he wanted to feel her next to him…

The door opened, and his gut twisted.

_It's just the Liberian..._

Shaking his head, Yuki took a seat at the table and reached into his black leather book bag as the uncomfortable feeling of eyes upon his back slithered upon his skin, Once his fingers curled around a notebook, he glance over his shoulder to spot the spy, or spies, watching him closely from behind a book cart. He sighed, his fan club was never to leave him any time of privacy; not that he could complain sometimes, it did feel great to be needed, wanted in the eyes of someone…however, it was not their eyes he wanted the feeling to be coming from.

He could picture them now; large, filled with emotions that shouted what she was feeling. Eyes lashes would be thick; luscious that framed those eyes with a darkening shadow that did not promise evil, but an elegant look. The lips, oh he could only imagine how they would feel; thick, plump, and warm when he would finally claim them to be his to touch with his own, and no one would be able to share such a passion. Her hair would be long, able to encircle her as a thick blanket. She would be soft and his fingers would not be able to release her, he would smile for just being with her…

A voice suddenly spoke to him, and his back went thick, his blood ran cold; "_This world is a cruel and dark place. Your whole life will be lived in darkness. Hope. Possibility… these concepts don't apply to you_…

"_Your fate is to stay on this pitch black road until you die. Don't get any ideas, or think… 'I will be saved one day'_…"

He felt like he was shaking, his fingers barely able to keep hold of his pen. The voice, the memory, the nightmare was right. Nothing of what he dreamed was for him. It was too bright, too livid for his dark path…

The doors opened and his chest warmed at the sight of the blue jewels that sprung from table to table with an urgency that gave Yuki a small strike of worry. Was the library too crowded for her liking? He gulped, but caught her attention as he stood and smiled as she made her way through the maze of tables.

"Thank you, Yuki…" She spoke under her breath as she faced the table and took the chair that he had held out for her. She was smiling, but the warmth had never truly reached her eyes, which made him frown softly, "Did I miss anything?"

He took the seat to the right of her, watching the way her blue eyes danced around the room, and how the band-aid stretched as her thick lips pulled into a frown, "Is something wrong?" he placed a hand around hers and tried to smile comfortably at her, with hopes for her too actually look up at him.

"Ummm…" her lips trembled softly, but she felt the soft squeeze of his hand and glanced up at the boy, "no, no, no…!" She whispered shaking her head side-to-side. She could feel him watching her, felt others watching her as well…licking her lips, she forced her head up to face the Prince, "I guess I'm just used to the public library…this one is very…" her smile felt fake, and it melted away as she paused to look around quickly, surprise shinning in her blue eyes, "did you hear that…?"

Yuki rose an eyebrow as he took his eyes off Karri and glanced around the library, ears searching for any sound that could be heard, "no…" he couldn't help but glance back at her, and smiled softly at how cute she looked confused, "what did you hear?" he teased her softly figuring it too be students talking amongst themselves at another table.

She turned back to him as she nibbled on her bottom lip, "I don't know…" her fingers wrapping around a blonde lock, "it couldn't have been far, the sound had to bounce off something close…but I feel like someone is glaring at me…"

Yuki smiled softly tugging on a lock of silky gold, "It might have been a rat," he felt his insides burn, flip, twist and tumble as she smiled brightly at him, laughter now was in her eyes and he felt happiness sprout from the hole in his chest. He had finally seen the smile that had been hiding there…placed behind fears and tough burdens that seemed to fallow her everywhere… He felt his own self smiling at the thought. Someone was smiling because of him…and he was smiling because of her… God, why did he have to create such a curse? His fingers were aching with a need to curl around her, to fling her to him so they could share the bothersome things that held them both down to Earth, and not let them fly free to the clouds of them…

Yuki looked up from his notebook, suddenly and watched Karri flipping through his notes as if the complicated pages were from a child's story book; "Does it make any since?" he couldn't help but ask for she held no emotion; no recognition, or confusion.

"No," she hummed closing the blue cover to the tan back quietly, "I memorized it all."

"Memorized?" His violet eyes looked her up and down, for probably the billionth time, but as if seeing her for a new time.

She frowned softly, placing the notebook with the collection of others in the middle of the table, "Yes…" it was almost as she had turned away from him, even if she stayed in her seat, "Grandfather taught me that some time ago…but it was nice to refresh up on some Biology. It seems like forever since I've done any work on it…" her voice was a sigh; however, Yuki caught the hint of sadness in her words.

"Were you home-schooled before coming here?" He placed his spot in his book and turned his full attention to Karri, which wasn't very hard.

"When I moved in with my Grandparents, I was able to remember anything I read, and ever since then, he has…" she paused as a shadow erupted in her eyes, "taught me everything I know."

"Why did you go to live with your Grandparents?" He couldn't help himself from asking. The question had impolitely slipped his tongue…but truthfully, he wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about her; what made her smile, cry, laugh, what haunted her, and what was her fantasy. It was a mystery too him.

She closed her eyes, sitting back in her chair as her teeth bit at her bottom lip; "I was little when it happened…it just seems so long ago, I've actually kinda forgot about it. Scratch that…" she looked at him now, straight in the face. Pain struck him. Tears were there, shinning in her eyes as they stared back at him. They were reveling something, a new set off water in the basin; it was murky with the memory, "I have tried to forget it…" He felt terrible now, wronged for making her tell this tail. His hand reached out, collecting her small trembling one in his, reassuring her to continue, "It was night…snow had just started to fall from the sky. We had gone out together, for it had been a special day…I just…I just can't remember the day…" her voice was tight, forced. And she finally looked away from him, "it came out of no where…and it-" she stood up suddenly, the chair bumped into the other table, "I'm sorry…I-I shouldn't have to…to displease you with such an ineffective story."

It took Yuki a moment to realize what had happened. Shaking his head, he glanced around the library as a sickening feeling crawled up his throat. God, why did he have to be so stupid? They had been so close…actually sharing time together, and he had to ruin it with such a dumb question. Jumping to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest, Yuki left the table with a quick step and entered a book aisle, with hopes of finding Karri.

"Could you _believe_ it?" He heard a shrill whisper when he passed an aisle, "she actually made him grab her hand…how egotistic is that?"

A shiver ran up his spin. Anger grew in the pit of his stomach… People were _not_ allowed to talk about Karri in such away. He paused to confront them, but a soft sobbing noise filled his ears. Spinning around, his hair caught in his eyes, Yuki ran towards the din, not caring who he ran into.

"Karri!" His voice rang out, loud enough for the whole library to hear. His heart stopped, his knees locked as he spotted her high on the book ladder. Her face was hidden by the golden curtain of hair as she reached out for a book, "what are you doing?" he lowered his tone, afraid of drawing the attention either of them wished not for.

"Just…" Her voice was still shaken, but it sounded as if she had calmed down, "Trying to-"

A gasp fell from his lips. It all happened, to fast to recognize, but slow motion in his mind. She had reached for the book, missed and leant forward, then finally…her footing slipped, and soundlessly. She began to fall.

He saw it before his eyes. Her form, lifeless. Lying before him with tears still in her eyes. God, he couldn't bare to see that…not now…not after he had spent so many minutes thinking about her smile, the life in her eyes, and the warmth of her skin…the complete opposite of what she would be.

"KARRI!" It was self adrenaline. His legs leaped, his heart started to pump again. Reaching, he felt her body land on top of his. The air rushed from his lungs, his legs gave out from underneath him. Oh no…; he felt everything go dark around him; what have I done?


End file.
